Support for life-preservers.



A WIGREN.

SUPPORT FOR LIFE PRESERVERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-8, 1916.

1,224,819 Patented May1,1917.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented Ma 1, 191%.

Application filed August 8, 1916. Serial 1%. 113,812.

To all 20 700m it may concern:

Be it known that I, AirANnUs .WIG EN, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Supports for Life-Preservers, of which the following is a specification. V

An object of. the invention is,t0,provide a support for life pneservers, to secure the same against accidental displacement or removal from the side railior other part ofa vessel, dock or building, and at 111652111116 time permit of a person readily releasing the life preserver from its secured position.

Among other features the invention comprehends the provision of a suitable frame for attachment to the side rail or wall to support the life preserver and hold it against accidental displacement and from being battered away by high seas, suitable means being provided whereby at a moments notice the life preserver can be released and placed in use.

The ordinary method now used for securing life preservers to the side rail of a ship is to lash the life preserver to the rail by means of suitable cord or rope, which, at the crucial moment, must be cut with a knife in order to release the life preserver. Even though lashed to the side rail of the ship in the latter method, a life preserver so secured, is ofttimes torn away by high seas and waves which persistently strike and wash over the side rail in severe weather. Further, when a life preserver is lashed with rope, as mentioned, it takes time to cut the rope and the desired implement for accomplishing this purpose is not always handy at the moment when a very short period of time may mean the saving of a life at sea.

My invention overcomes the above defects and provides fornot only securing the life preserver against accidental removal but permits of readily and quickly releasing the life preserver without the use of tools, knives or other implements so that at a moments notice, the life preserver can be released and placed in use to effect the desired result.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters ,ofreference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which i Figure 1 is an elevation showing the life preserver supported by means of my device,

Fig. 2 is a yertical transverse sectional view of the structure shown in 1,

Fig. 3 is a. similar view showing the life preserver as it is released, and U Figcs is a perspective view of the holding element.

Referring more particularly to the views, thenumeral 10 indicates the side rail of the ship to which is secured, in any suitable manner, an inverted Y-shaped frame 11, preferably at its upper end terminating in a hook 12 which is suitably hooked over the upper bar 13 of therail 10. At the lower ends of arms 14, forming a part of the frame ll are eyelets 15 which swingingly support pieces 16 curved to fit around a life preserver 17 the said pieces having connection with chains 18, which, in turn, are connected to a chain 19 having an end connected to a holding element 20, also curved to fit around life preserver 17. o

A spring actuated latch 21 is arranged upon the frame 11 and has a handle 22 projecting through a slot 23 in the frame so that the latch can be operated from the deck of the vessel, said latch including a vertically arranged bar 24, actuated upon by a spring 25, arranged in a casing 26 with the fupper end of the bar tapered at a point where it passes through a stirrup 27, and at which point a tongue 28 on the holdingelement 20 passes through the stirrup 27 and is frictionally held in position by the bar 24.- of the latch so that the holding element 20 will be locked in position to secure the life preserver against the side rail of the vessel.

Now when it is desired to release the life preserver it is only necessary to press downwardly upon the handle 22 to move the latch against the action of the spring and thus it will be seen that the holding element 20 will be released, so that it can gravitate downwardly into an inoperative position, thus releasing the life preserver to permit the latter to fall away from the side rail and drop into the sea or to be grasped by a person on the deck and thrown out to the person in the water.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the device described is simple in construction, consists of few and simple parts which can be cheaply manufactured and easily assembled and that the invention will effectively accomplish the purpose for which it is intended and permit of carrying or throwing a life preserver to a person who has fallen into the water, in a very short space of time.

Having described my claim 1. A support for life preservers comprising a Y-shaped frame, a latch on said frame movably supported pieces to fit around the life preserver, a holding element normally fitting around the life preserver and connecting with the latch to be normally locked by the same and support the life preserver and a connection between said pieces and holding element.

2. A support for life preservers comprisinvention, I

ing a frame, pieces mounted on the frame to fit around the life preserver, a holding element fitting around the life preserver, releasing means normally locking the holding element in position to secure the life preserver and means connecting the pieces with the holding element for releasing the former from holding position when the latter is released.

3. A support for life preservers embodying a frame, a stirrup thereon, a U-shaped holding element for normally. supporting the life preserver, a latch operable on the frame at a point below the stirrup, and an extension on the holding element adapted to project into the stirrup and be normally engaged by the latch to secure the life preserver against removal from the frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

AMANDUS W'IGREN.

Gopieo of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addreaoing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

